As His Servant…

^{by: carole l. haines}

³⁴ Mary said, “But how could this happen? I am still a virgin!”

³⁵ Gabriel answered, “The Spirit of Holiness will fall upon you and almighty God will spread his shadow of power over you in a cloud of glory! This is why the child born to you will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. ³⁶ What’s more, your aged aunt, Elizabeth, has also become pregnant with a son. The ‘barren one’ is now in her sixth month. ³⁷ Not one promise from God is empty of power, for nothing is impossible with God!”

³⁸ Then Mary responded, saying, “This is amazing! I will be a mother for the Lord! As his servant, I accept whatever he has for me. May everything you have told me come to pass.” And the angel left her. (Luke 15: 34-38 TPT)

Mary believed God, and she bowed to His perfect will for her life.  I love the above translation of her words, “As his servant, I accept whatever he has for me.”
I was reading on prayer one time, and was challenged by a concept I came across in the book.  I believe it was a book on prayer by Andrew Murray, but I can’t quite remember. The concept, however, was that the majority of the work of prayer, in seeking God on a matter, was ridding ourselves of our own agendas, ambitions, and preferences, on the matter we are praying about.  This struck me very deeply, as I realized that often, I was praying for my own agendas, and not seeking God for His.
It changed the way I approach prayer, God’s guidance, and seeking after Him.  I desire to develop the attitude of Mary in this precious privilege of prayer and the Will of God.  I spend much time, when seeking God on a matter, just sitting and allowing Him to neutralize me, remove my own thoughts about something, and give me His own thoughts. I am seeking Him on some things right now, and here is what I am praying:

As Your Servant, Dearest Lord Jesus, I accept whatever You have for me.  It matters not what I want, but what You will.  Your ways are higher than my ways.  I surrender dearest Lord, wherever that takes me. Whatever dreams of my own I must die to, whatever ambitions I once had.  As Paul says, “Whatever was gain to me, I now count as loss.” Lord, make me wholly Yours, I give you all I am, as Your Beloved Servant, Mary did, over 2,000 years ago. Amen